1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to articulated luggage carriers and more particularly to a novel such carrier having a backrest which is adapted to support the back of either a passenger or a driver of a motorcycle depending upon the position of the articulated carrier.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
In the past, it has been the conventional practice to attach a variety of luggage supports or carriers onto the frame of motorcycles or the like so that a variety of personal luggage and equipment can be carried thereon. Usually, conventional luggage carriers are fixedly supported to the frame of the motorcycle immediately behind the seat so that the weight of the luggage or equipment being carried is substantially over the rear wheel of the vehicle. Sometimes, the passenger, who sits on the seat immediately behind the driver, may use the luggage as a back support during travel of the motorcycle. In other instances, fixed bars are carried on the motorcycle frame against which the passenger may lean so as to support his back.
Although such arrangements have been successful for their intended purposes, it is obvious that the back of the driver cannot be supported by either the luggage, fixed bars or the like since a substantial distance is defined between the luggage carrier and the back of the driver. Such space is usually occupied by the passenger and when unoccupied, no useful purpose is served.
Some attempts have been made to provide a back support for the driver which take the form of extendable rods or mechanisms which are supported from the luggage rack and which include a cushioned backrest against which the driver may bear. However, such extendable mechanisms suffer from the difficulty that the backrest is too rigid for comfortably supporting the driver's back. Also, such extensions do not readily accommodate the holding of any additional luggage or equipment.
Therefore, a longstanding need has existed to provide a new luggage rack for motorcycles or the like which not only is adapted for supporting additional pieces of luggage or equipment, but which will provide a backrest for either the passenger or the driver so that either rider is comfortably supported.